Save the Best for Last
by Crystal104
Summary: Sometimes the very thing you're looking for is the one thing you can't see. Alicia loves George but ... well, you know... that old chestnut...


Alicia Spinnit rolled over in bed and groaned, starring at the clock. It took acouple seconds for it to register that it was the middle of the night. Why did she suddenly wake up? Her question was answered with a sharp knock on her front door. Dazed and confused, Alicia wondered who would be knocking on her door at this time in the morning. The doorbell rang out several times, not stopping for awhile... this person was very persistant.  
  
"George..." she suddenly thought before slipping quickly and excitedly out of her bedsheets and grabbing her wand off the bedside table. She pondered her pajamas before swishing her wand to light the lamps in the house. Then, decided George wasn't going to care what she looked like in the middle of the night, Alicia made her way quickly through her small house.  
  
She reached the foyer and stopped for a second, poising herself before unlocking the door and opening it.  
  
There he was, red hair and green eyes, gazing helplessly at her. She really couldin't see these features too well... it was the middle of the night and only the dim cloud-covered moon lit him up... but she knew his face well enough to know... and her heart flip-flopped.  
  
"Can I help you?" she asked, a quizical look on her face. He moved into the light of the foyer a little, his freckled face illuminated.  
  
"I'm lost," he said batting his eyes and giving her an innocent smile.  
  
"Are you?"  
  
"Yes, perhaps can I have a place to sleep for the night... it's rather chilly out..."  
  
Alicia nodded. He was no stranger, it was just their game.  
  
"So what happened this time?" she asked, inviting him in. He stepped in and she closed the door. "Some silly girl set you free?"  
  
"I thought it would work out this time." George Weasley told her, taking off his cloak and putting it on the coat hanger.  
  
"Did you honestly?"  
  
He sat on the couch and was silent for a few moments, thinking. He grinned.  
  
"No, not really..." he let out a weak laugh and then sighed. Alicia sat next to him and placed and soothing hand on his knee. "But what went wrong this time? I mean, I just want ...someone, I don't know."  
  
"I'm sorry, George... "  
  
He leaned over, letting his head land on her shoulder. "Is there something wrong with me?" he asked after a long while. "Is it my un-even ears?" Alicia laughed but George cut her off. "Is it my nose? It's kinda funny shaped... or maybe it's my butt. Or maybe it's the size of my--"  
  
"Gah!" Alicia plugged her ears, but George tugged on her arm.  
  
"-- feet... I do have REALLY big feet, ya know..."  
  
Alicia laughed, punching him in the arm lightly. He grinned and then sighed.  
  
"I'm cursed." he said dramatically, throwing the back of his hand to his forhead.  
  
"You are not."  
  
"Then why can't I get a girl??" he asked as though he were whinning to his mother about getting a new pet.  
  
"You CAN," Alicia reminded him. "You just can't keep them."  
  
George snorted and nodded in agreement.  
  
"I know, I know but ... I mean, maybe ... maybe Fred and I should just consider starting our business..."  
  
"You could.... but honestly, George, is that really your dream?"  
  
"Yeah, it is actually. I just wanted to maybe settle down a bit before we start. Have a girlfriend, ya know what I mean?"  
  
Alicia nodded slowly but then quickly shook her head no.  
  
"Really I don't see what that has to do with anything..." she told him, shrugging her shoulders.  
  
"And I just wanted to ... I dunno...."  
  
"Find the right person?"  
  
"Atleast have a relationship for more than two weeks."  
  
"Well, I dunno," Alicia grinned and quickly let out, "I like these visits you give me everytime.."  
  
"You're the only person who understands me, Alicia."  
  
"Well that's just a lie!" Alicia accused, hitting him with a pillow. "Need I remind you of Fred?"  
  
"Well Fred is a different story..."  
  
Alicia pondered on that for a second and nodded... it did make sense. There are just some things you can't share with your twin brother who has had a steady a girlfriend since their Hogwart's years.  
  
"Well... anytime you need me, I'm here..."  
  
"Aww, thanks Licia!!" George said throwing his arms around her. It was a nice sensation-- familure yet like something she'd forgotten existed. They sat for a few moments like this and Alicia closed her eyes, wishing she could always have this.  
  
George finally let her go and pushed his red hair out of his eyes and breathed deeply. Alicia watched him, smiling.  
  
"Well... I have alot to do tomorrow..." Alicia stood and went over to the forum closet. She stood on tiptoe, grabbing a comforter and extra pillow for him. She used gravity to send the comforter to him, but threw the pillow in his face.  
  
"Agh!" he responded.  
  
"Still got that Chaser in me."  
  
"Be happy there's no Beater's clubs around.." George joked.  
  
"Well... goodnight George. Sleep well." she told him, ruffling his hair and turning to leave.  
  
"Don't let the elephants play Cricket in your bed." George called after her.  
  
"Only Quidditch." she replied and disappeared into her room.  
  
She didn't, however, go to sleep. Instead she went into the bathroom to see exactly what she looked like. She laughed, realizing her dark burnette hair was all over the place. But as she laughed, a few tears trickled out of her eyes. She leaned on the wall and slid down slowly. It wasn't long before she was holding her arms against her, silently crying. She tried to stop but they just kept coming out of her eyes like a leaky fountain. After finally getting them under control, Alicia sniffled and wondered if all that crying was neccessary. She hated crying, it ws so pointless. She rubbed her eyes and sighed deeply, standing up and looking in the mirror again. She grabbed her brush and, alittle more fierce than was neccessary, brushed the raged knots out of her hair. Acouple more tears spilt out and she dropped her brush. It clattered in almost an echo as she covered her mouth and held her breath, begging her self not to cry again.  
  
"There was a time, George Weasley, when I wished you would tell me you loved me," Alicia said quietly. "What IS wrong with you?," she slapped her hand down on the counter and closed her eyes. "How can you give your love to someone else and share your dreams with me?" she grimaced, realizing how selfish she sounded. She sighed and starred at herself int he mirror again. "It's not the way I hoped, no, or how I planned but... somehow this is enough." she nodded, reassuring herself.. She forced and smile and turned on the water. She splashed her face a bit and grabbed a towel, drying her face while turning to leave.  
  
But she bumped into something. Alicia froze, and slowly took the towel away from her face, only to find herself face to face with non-other than that prescious Weasley that was supposed to be going to sleep out on her couch in the other room. A half naked George Weasley-- he had taken his shirt off.. usually she would have noticed, amd maybe made a snide comment... but not this time.  
  
"I was going to tell you you're out of peanut butter--" George started to say, but it was obvious he'd heard what she said. He was looking at the floor, utterly embarrassed. He stuttered.  
  
"How ... long have you been standing there?"  
  
"Not long..." he said, looking away from her. Alicia's chin trembled.  
  
"You heard everything..."  
  
It was quiet for a few seconds before George answered with a nod. Thunder rolled in the distance.  
  
Alicia didn't know what to say, and nor, apparently, did George.  
  
"Why didn't you tell me?" he asked, a slight grin on his face.  
  
"How could I?!" she could hardly believe she was even having this conversation.  
  
"It would have saved both of us a great deal of time..."  
  
"I know, I kno-..." Alicia paused and starred up at him. He stared back, those green eyes penetrating her own. They were both quiet for a very long time before George shifted, his hand cupping her face. Alicia's heart stopped as he leaned in. She closed her eyes as their lips met. Her senses rippled, her heart fluttering and breath becoming short. It ended all too soon, and Alicia found herself being completely dazed as George starred into her eyes again.  
  
"I really love you," he actually sounded relieved to be saying it.  
  
Alicia breathed deeply and sighed.  
  
"I guess sometimes the very thing you're looking for is the one thing you can't see..." George whispered. It was poetry. He'd never said anything like that to her, no one had... She looked at him again. He really looked nervous by the dull light emitting from the hallway. Nervous, yet relieved.  
  
"Isn't this world a crazy place?" Alicia asked him, laughing lightly. George nodded, grinning happily. Alicia grinned back and was suddenly over come by a laugh. George laughed too and moved in to kiss her again. Expertly, George placed one hand on her hip, still locking lips, and around to the small of her back. He pulled her close as she ran her hands up his chest and onto his shoulders, back down his arms.  
  
They moved awkwardly yet somehow gracefully towards her bed. Still locking lips, Alicia fell back, George landing ontop of her. After a few moments of the lip carressing action, George sealed the kiss and propped himself up. Alicia searched his countenance and let out a short and small laugh.  
  
"What.." George grinned, blinking.  
  
"I thought our chance had past... I just never thought this would be us.."  
  
George moved her hair out of her face as he answered, "You know me..." He kissed her and said, "I always save the best for last."  
  
Alicia smiled sweetly but as George went to kiss her again, she interupted him.  
  
"What's wrong?" he asked, genuinly concerned.  
  
She opened her mouth to tell him but all that came outwas a weak laugh. "I want you to respect me..."  
  
George nodded. "I respect that." he told her.  
  
"I respect that you respect that..."  
  
"And I respect that you respect that I respect that." George added, grinning.  
  
Alicia laughed. "Good." she said. "Now that we have THAT settled..." she trailed off, searching his eyes.  
  
"Do you... " George started to say but stopped. Lightning flashed. George really looked like he didn't want to say this.  
  
"Yes?" she blinked, trying to look favorable to whatever he was about to say.  
  
"Want to wait ... I mean, to go any further than ... this.."  
  
Alicia blinked, taken aback.  
  
"I just... well, usually I don't ... we just jump right in, ya know?" he added very quickly. Alicia's gaze softened. "I just our first time to be ...to be..." he searched for the right word.  
  
"Special?" Alicia offered.  
  
"More than that!" George rolled off her and sat on the edge of the bed. Alicia watched as he ran is fingers through his hair. "I always get a girl and everything is always about the ... phsyical stuff.." He looked embarrassed.  
  
Alicia giggled.  
  
"It's not funny!" protested a red-faced George. Alicia always loved how the Weasleys got so beat red.  
  
"Maybe that's why you can't keep a girlfriend, "Alicia suggested as nicely as she could. Let a dramatic sigh and nodded, turning to her. She sent him smile, leaning her head to the side.  
  
"I want to wait because..." he took her hand in his and kissed it sweetly, "I want our first time to be pure magic." Now it was Alicia's turn to blush. He released her hand and fell back onto her bed. "You know.. like when your wand sends little sparks of energy out of the end when you're feeling something extreme... when you've made just the right potion, or set just the right charm that it could only BE magic..." Alicia nodded, knowing George had thought about this for awhile. "I've loved you for too long a time for it not to be."  
  
Alicia shook her head and layed down parrallel to him, propping her head up with one arm. "How long has it been...?"  
  
"Since the first time I saw you." George told her, a lopsided grin on his freckled face.  
  
"And you never once told me?"  
  
"Ah! I'm not the only one!" George pushed her shoulder lightly. "You didn't tell me either."  
  
"Well... but..."  
  
"Ha! Guilty as charged..."  
  
"Well you liked me longer then I liked you so there!" she pushed him lightly on the shoulder.  
  
"Is that so?"  
  
"Yes, I despised you all first year..." Alicia played with her bedsheet.  
  
"Why!?" he sat up, laughing.  
  
"Oh I don't know... " Alicia began, also sitting up. "Maybe because you were so mean to me!"  
  
George shrugged. "Just tryin' to say I love ya."  
  
Alicia crossed her legs and then asked, "You've liked me for eight years?"  
  
"Seven and half." he corrected her. They'd only been out of Hogwarts for half a year.  
  
"I started liking you in 3rd year..." Alicia stated quietly.  
  
"When we became friends..." said George. Alicia nodded in agreement. "I know I was afraid to tell you because--"  
  
"I didn't want to lose you." they said together.  
  
They were silent for a moment as George scooted closer to her. She felt that jolt of excitment ripple through her again and shook her head in disbelief. "Do we really belong together?" she asked more in an amazed tone than a questioning one.  
  
"Who wrote the book of love?" George asked.  
  
"Is it really love?" she asked, wondering if the words were too strong.  
  
"Who cares!" George laughed. Alicia tried to grin but she still felt like this wasn't right. George seemed to read her thoughts.  
  
"It's okay, Alicia..." he kissed her forehead. "Why are you so afraid to jump into this?" he tipped her chin up.  
  
"Because I'm afraid no-one will catch me..." he starred into his eyes. Thunder rolled and just at the moment, rain began to pour down.  
  
"I'll always catch you." George whispered, kissing her again. This time it was intense though.... more than ever she felt like this was thr gith place to be. Her heart pounded and her skin crawled sending tingles up her spine. He took her into her embrace and ran his fingers through her hair, kissing her neck and coming back to just stare into her eyes. The rain splatered angrilly on her window as they just layed there awake in bed.  
  
George opened his mouth to say something but just at that moment thunder boomed sharply. Both Alicia and George jumped, Alicia hiding her face in George's chest. The rolling seemed to go on forever and by the time Alicia could hear acutly again, she realized how hard she was breathing and that George was chuckling amusedly. Alicia grinned began to laugh too.  
  
"You jumped SO bad!" he told her, cupping her face in his hands.  
  
"You jumped too!" Alicia felt herself shaking.  
  
"Cold?" George asked.  
  
"And tired..."  
  
"Sleep?"  
  
"I think yes."  
  
They both crawled (actually, George rolled more than anything) towards the head of the bed and slipped under the sheets. George pulled Alicia close, his arm over her waist. She interlocked her leg with his and snuggled her head into his chest. He ran his hand through her hair again and breathed deeply.  
  
"I never pictured us here..." said George quietly.  
  
And Alicia had to agree, neither had she.... and they fell asleep in eachother's arms that night to the simple beat of the crying sky. 


End file.
